The 2025 China Open in Beijing will be held without the world No. 1 player after Aryna Sabalenka withdrew from the event.
Sabalenka last competed at the US Open, where she beat everyone standing in her way to lift her fourth career Grand Slam trophy. The Belarusian player bested two home hopes, Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova, in the semi-finals and the final.
After the New York Slam, she took some deserved time off, like the rest of the Tour. Some, like Iga Swiatek, returned to action already this week at the Korea Open in Seoul, but Sabalenka's first tournament back should have been the China Open in Beijing.
The tournament in Beijing is a WTA 1000 event running from September 24th until October 5th. It's closely followed by another WTA 1000 event, the Wuhan Open, which starts on October 6th, so a day after the conclusion of the China Open.
But Sabalenka has now changed her plans for this year's Asian swing. Last year's quarter-finalist won't compete at the 2025 China Open in Beijing, announcing her withdrawal through the tournament organizers, who posted an update on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
"To all fans who follow the China Open and deeply love Sabalenka, we regret to inform you that Alina has not yet fully recovered from the injury she sustained during the US Open and will miss the 2025 China Open. We wish Sabalenka a speedy recovery and a return to competition."
Sabalenka, who will play against Nick Kyrgios in the Battle of Sexes, also provided a statement for her fans. She stated that she plans to return to the China Open next year, but didn't provide any update regarding her participation in Wuhan.
"Hello everyone, due to an injury sustained during the US Open and the ongoing recovery process, I regretfully announce that I will withdraw from this year's China Open. I will focus on my recovery and strive to return to 100% condition as soon as possible. I can't wait to see my fans in China! I look forward to returning to Beijing next year and wish you all the best for the tournament."
The impact of Aryna Sabalenka's Beijing withdrawal on the world No. 1 race
It seemed that Sabalenka had the world No. 1 rank fully in her grasp. She leads the WTA Rankings by 3,292 points, and she also leads in the 2025 WTA Race by 2,076 points. Her closest competitor in both of these standings is Iga Swiatek.
But with Sabalenka's withdrawal from the China Open, coupled with Swiatek's participation in Seoul, the Pole's chances of retaking the world No. 1 spot have significantly improved. If Swiatek wins the titles in Seoul and Beijing, she will be only 577 points behind Sabalenka in the 2025 WTA Race.
Swiatek was suspended during this time of the season last year, so her 3,292-point deficit in the WTA Rankings will also start to shrink really fast.
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